New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-19
d" THOSE HEADS"
THE MYSTERY OF THE PENSION OFFICE.
THREE MEN WORKING ON THIRTY THOUSAND YARDS
OF PLAsTERING.

WASHINGTON, June 1s-when the history Of the
Pension Office Court is written 1t will begin with the
inaugural ball and reception ~ the first Democratic
President a after tho war" The building was two
years old but had reached only the bare walls and
temporary canvas covering on the top. Thousands
Of yards Of cotton cloth, hundreds Of flags and cart
loads Of plants and flowers transformed the great
bare hardly begun court into ballroom III at was on
the whole attractive. When the performance was
over the court stripped and turned back INTO the
cavern" and is the cavern" to this day, though
two years. work has been put on the buildng-spread
on 50 to speak the rate of three plasterers work
ing on thirty thousand square yards Of plasterng"
/ quote Deputy Commissioner McLean's mldest ex-
preston of feeling Colonel Mclean Is not profane
man, but when he talks about the new Pension Offce
building he is not TO be held to strict account Tor his
adjectives or explosives. "Good heavens !" ~ SAID,
as the sound Of hammers and trowels, picks and
shovels reverberated through tho "cavcrn" I'm conn-
uous din "nobody knows what endure. Yes,
this cursed noise lets up. It's enough to drive
a man mad. If we happen to 1.-Two TIL the Internal
old ark is finished, which IS doubtful some OF US are
bound TO be insane. Slow is no name for It, Why
for weeks they had three men working on thirty
thousand square yards of plasterng out therel No
business firm would stand anything like it, and don't
believe any other government would either. How
long do you suppose would put up with such
blank nonsense out WestT' The Deputy Is from
Indiana. ITO begin with, we were moved In here
when there was one Of plaster and tho water
drfpped from the wet ceilings, 1t was tough place
for men, and dirty, too But it was worse for women;
1 wonder that half OF them are not dead There
bave been lime-dust, racket and dampness enough
TO kill all Of They have been at 1t four years and
1 don't believe the building is more than half done
now."
"The prospect is then that 1t VIII through this
Administration anyhow
eyes. And it Will run into the next. too II they
dont m lastr 1
would try to make place for ono more on thirty
thousand yards" ne replied with sarcasm and an ad
jective to strengthen Ii.
"There seems 10 DO statuary-a lot Of heads-up on
the top walls Of the court Can you tell mo whom
they represent asked. partly for information and
partly 10 turn Colonel McLeans thoughts " agree
able and ornamental feature Of the building.
Heads Yes, there a few up thcre-a few
short of a thousand, should say. l doubt II any
body ia this building knows whom they represent or
why they stuck up close under tho ROOF, unless
for the swallows that in the inches / usually
tell people they represent George Washington and
myself You see tho heads are 50 high and so blank
little that you can't what the faces are like, and
they pass for George Washington without any dispute
But it's fair sample Of the building Now Instead
Of fooling away time and money ovor SIX or eight
hundred heads stuck up right under the roof like 50
many white balls why couldn't they go on and finish
the oflcesa don't like to talk about 1t often. 1t
strs me up. Everything is covered with dust. There
Isn't clerk here who isn't known on tho street
because OF the lime and other dirt he carries away on
his Clothes"
These little plaster heads in the inches arc
something of mystery TO visitors They their
necks and stare I'LL effort Is positively painful
hoping TO discover a likeness TO somebody care
fully dressed messenger, with red rose in his coat
and twinkle In bis eye said "Yisl There's a
mystery about thin. Some says they're Indians
and says they're white Ginerals. But not one
of thin knows the truth. But If they'd been put up
there on purpose for to think Of In spare mo
ments they couldn't have boon successful In the
mystfyin' Of u.s." And then he added advisedly
"They say Gineral Meigs himself wouldn't know
either"
Further on workman said in voice betraying his
own unbelief: "Thcy say they're heads Of Indian
Chiefs all but SIX l can't just tell who the six are
but believe Admiral Rodgers Is one"
"Ah, then they Army and Navy officers r
"No, guess not. don't think that Is the dodgers
after ALL" he replied. al don't know General
Megs himself could tell you. They say lie don't
know either"
"Oh, they're mystery. They're Inguns and all
nations, six hundred of them"
"But why six hundred heads to represent the
tons Of the earth n
"Now you've got me-" he replied. "Come to look
at them in that light l It's impossible. No,
Three galleries or balconies extend around the
court on which the rooms Of the second, third and
fourth floors open. Mounting " the first / ac-
costod workman whose clothes betokcned plaster
cast genius.
"They'ro Indians, they say, all but six seven.
Two Of General Meigs and his wife," he said
"Why General Meigs and why his wife Can you
tell me why they two Of the six white people up
there and tho rest Of tho six hundred Indian
heads -
No. he could not, and he turned to brother artist
10 help him out but got no satisfaction. Both de-
clared however, that two Of the white heads were
General MeIgs and his wife, though unable to give
any further information. l mounted 10 the highest
balcony, having railing brightly bronzed. Here
are the skylight rooms very hot, but intended for
hooks and files. Some of them already filed with
their books files, lost in tho repeated layers Of
colonel McLean's dirt and racket dust" Again
asked the question: Can you tell me about those
heads % nodding up to the swallows, twitering and
busy as bees In nestbullding. carried ON with a
good ded Of bird hilarity. They were not much
larger than bees either from the height far above
our heaas: rhoso arc heads ~ Indian o,,os.
modelled from heads In the Smithsonian, you know
There three casts OF each Chief, and in all six
They arc all Indians, thenl heard there were
some white people reprsssnthe sl Is d thst gsP
A.. who SI are tes iow h.ro can find out, How
ever, you bfng powerful neid glass yOuu make
out Washington for one Of the six. Nobody knows
tho other five. And guess General Meigs couldn't
name them either"
/ pursued my inquiries no further but leaving the
birds and the heads, went down TO the bottom u tho
cavern" where things what they seem and life
s real In the centre formed by the eight hugo brick
pillars The 2. work Of floor tnf but f gTng on as rapidly
tiles are laid more quickly than the plaster lain
tho thirty Thousand square yapls.n The columns
supporting the balconies bronzcd and elective
by contrast with the white walls Of the court. The
largo pillars rising from tho tiled floor 10 be
white. The circular basin for a fountain is placed
In the middle Of the court and at some future day
Its spray will sprinkle Towering plants around It.
At one end Of the court colOrod man has pitched
his tent on which Ia written with blue pencil " Din
ing Rooms" The tent Is copmodlous and the inter
Tor presents several small tables neatly spread